Beginnings
by wren10514
Summary: BtVSHL crossover. A collection of ficlets in sequence with RR in BtVS!verse Written for Crossovers100 on LJ. Rated for safety.
1. Chapter 1

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR

For prompt: 001 Beginnings

Summary: Two weary travellers meet on the long road.

A/N: This is going to be the start of a series of BtVS/HL crossovers – not sure how many or what'll happen yet so let's see

Xander threw his bag down on the floor and slumped on a stool at the bar, quickly catching the attention of the bartender and ordering a beer.

"One of those days, huh?"

Xander looked up from his scrutiny of his drink to see a blond kid barely old enough to drink sat on the stool next to him.

"On of those lifetimes. I'm cursed: that must be it. There is some god or demon out there somewhere who is determined that I will never go anywhere without humungous garage bills."

The kid snickered. "Car trouble?"

Xander sighed, resigned to his fate. "The exhaust cracked or fell off or something. All I know is I'm out 200 bucks and I get to spend the night in this lovely establishment." He said, gesturing with a vague wave of his arm to the general degradation of the tiny motel bar. "Xander Harris," he said, proffering a hand to his new companion.

The blond took it. "Richie Ryan."

"So now you've heard my woes, what brings you here? Let me guess – the view?" Xander added as the bartender scratched himself, before returning to pouring drinks.

Richie laughed. "Nah, just another stop on the road. I thought I better get the bike looked at before it decided to crap out on me."

"Ah, so you too have had the pleasure of meeting Morris?"

Richie gave a lop-sided smile. "Yeah, reminds me of a guy I knew back home."

"Where's home?"

"Seacouver. That's Washington."

Xander almost choked on his beer. "You've come all the way down here on a bike?" Richie nodded. "Rather you than me. So where you headed next?"

Richie shrugged, trying and failing to catch the bartender's attention despite the fact that the guy only had one other customer. "Nowhere in particular: just seeing where I end up, you know? How about you? Where're you headed once your car's fixed?"

"Home." Xander said wistfully. "Good old Sunnydale, where the muggers are never after your wallet."

"Huh?" Richie asked, finally managing to attract the bartender and order another drink.

Xander shook his head. "Never mind, you'd never believe me."

"I doubt that. I've seen some weird stuff in the last two years: at this point I'm ready to believe just about anything."

If Richie had looked any less serious Xander might have thought the kid was just trying to act big, but there was something in the way he stared thoughtfully at the bar that made him think this guy might actually mean it.

"Hey what about if I came with you?"

Xander jerked out of his thoughts. "What! No, no trust me you don't want to come to Sunnydale. It's a bad, bad place full of…well full of badness. Trust me, no one ever wants to go there."

Richie smiled. "Sounds like fun."

"No! No it's boring! Dull even. There's only one decent bar in the whole town and it's always full of high school kids-"

"You really don't want me to come with you, do you?"

"It's not that, well it is…sort of, but not for the reasons you think. You seem like an ok guy and that's exactly why Sunnydale is not something I'd wish on you."

"Well that's sorted then. See you in the morning at the garage and you can show me the way to Sunnydale."


	2. Sunset

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR

For prompt: 032 Sunset

Summary: Richie's introduction to Sunnydale.

A/N: The second of a series of BtVS/HL crossovers – not sure how many or what'll happen yet so let's see

They had strapped the bike to the back of Xander's car for the trip back to Sunnydale, but (true to form) the car had only managed to get them to the outskirts of the town before knocking loudly and gliding to a stop.

Despite how much he cursed at it and kicked it the car refused to start and so Richie offered his ride a lift on the back of his bike. He had even insisted Xander take the only helmet and so it was that they arrived in Sunnydale as the sun sank quickly below the horizon.

"Hey!" Xander yelled over the noise of the engine and through the muffling effect of the helmet. "Cut through here! We don't want to be out after dark any longer than we have to!"

"How come?" Richie asked, glancing at his passenger over his shoulder as he turned down the alley Xander had pointed towards.

Something lunged at them from out of the shadows, and the bike shimmied worryingly as Richie swerved to avoid it. Looking back over his shoulder swearing Richie thought it was some mugger until his noticed the guy's face.

"What was that!"

"Vampire! I said you didn't want to come here!"

What ever it was two more were now blocking their way down the alley, forcing Richie to slow.

"I'm starting to think maybe I should have listened to you." Richie said as the bike came to a halt a discreet distance from the two vampires making their way towards the humans.

Xander took off the helmet, fishing in his jacket pocket. "I can't say I've heard that too often, but I'll tell you I told you so later. I've only got one stake," he said pulling it out, "you know how to fight?"

"You carry a wooden stake around with you?" Richie asked incredulously, as he slowly got off the bike, trying to keep an eye on all three vampires as he moved.

"Never leave home without one."

"So the stories are true?"

Xander got off the bike the other side, staying as far away from Richie as he could, hoping the vamps would at least split up. "Quick lesson? You want a stake or something to cut their heads off with. A cross or holy water might be handy, but I doubt you're going to have those hanging around." He paused, thinking. "Not that you're going to have the others either…"

"Oh I don't know," Richie said, pulling his rapier out of his bags with a flourish. "Heads I might just be able to manage."

The vamps were getting close now, but Xander had to ask. "You carry a sword around with you?"

Richie smirked. "Never leave home without one!" As one of the vamps from the end of the alley lunged he swept the sword up to cut it across the chest before gracefully bring the blade round to take off its head. He was startled enough when it exploded into dust to get caught by one of the others scratching at him through the dust cloud, but recovered quickly. He ran it through, taking its head as it stumbled backwards in surprise. He coughed as he breathed in some of the dust and thought he might be sick at the thought of breathing in a vampire, but looked up long enough to see Xander deliver a couple of solid punches to the surviving vamp before staking it through the heart.

"Well that was different." Richie said, when Xander turned to look at him.

"You wanted interesting."

"Silly me." Richie chuckled as he got back on the bike.

Xander got back on behind him. "Come on you can crash at my place tonight and I'll fill you in on the whole 'Sunnydale is evil' thing."


	3. Friends

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR

For prompt: 021 Friends

Summary: Richie and Xander discuss absent friends.

A/N: The third of a series of BtVS/HL crossovers – not sure how many or what'll happen yet so let's see

"Huh, no one's here…"

"It's 10 o'clock on a Sunday morning, dude."

Xander dipped his head into the back room of the Magic Box. "That's never stopped Anya from trying pry hard-earned money out of customers' hands. Anya! Are you there!" There was a silent pause, before Xander turned back into the room. "Guess not. Well, make yourself at home."

Richie looked round at the shelves of strange magical implements and ingredients. "You've got a weird idea of what's home."

"Well you live on a hellmouth long enough the strangest things seem homey."

"You know how to use this stuff?" Richie asked, picking up a strangely tied bundle of herbs.

Xander shook his head, taking a seat at the large round table at library end of the room. "Nah, not really. That was Willow and Tara's thing: the whole wicca, earth power, witch thing."

Richie put down the bundle, exploring the rest of the shelves. "You mean like magic? You don't believe in that stuff, right?"

"You kidding? My best friend almost destroyed the world with it."

"Seriously?"

Xander sighed. "Yeah after Tara, her girlfriend, got shot she went a bit crazy with the uber dark stuff. Tried to fry the planet."

"Interesting friend." Richie replied, eyebrow raised.

"Yeah well after a while on the hellmouth you get used to having a few of those too. Witches, slayers, werewolves, demons, vampires; I've been friends with them all. I was engaged to Anya and she's a vengeance demon now…well, again. And I'm still not entirely sure what Dawn was before she was Buffy's sister…"

"Do I want to ask?"

Xander grinned, shrugging. "What about you? You must've met some interesting people in your travels."

"Some, but they don't really compare. I knew a priest that was over two thousand years old once." Richie threw a sarcastic smile over his shoulder and saw Xander roll his eyes in response, assuming it was just a joke. "And there's this friend of Mac's that's a complete klepto. Apart from that it's all pretty normal."

"Mac?"

Richie looked thoughtful, turning to prop himself on the edge of the table across from where Xander sat.

"Mac took me in a couple of years back. I would probably be in jail now if it wasn't for him."

Xander raised an eyebrow. "Jail? Anything I should know about?"

Richie chuckled, but the ding of the shop bell stopped him before he could respond.


	4. breakfast

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR, Buffy, Giles, Dawn, Anya

For prompt: 056 Breakfast

Summary: A little unwitting announcement over breakfast.

A/N: The fourth of a series of BtVS/HL crossovers – not sure how many or what'll happen yet so let's see

"Who are you?" The blond sneered.

Xander stood hurriedly, looking nervous. "Anya! This is Richie, he's a friend so be nice."

The girl sniffed, flouncing over to the counter. "As long as he doesn't get in the way of the customers."

Richie decided not to mention that there weren't any customers and was about to say hello when the bell rang again.

"Giles I'm just saying that maybe you should stay in bed another day or two."

"Buffy, I assure you I'm fine." The middle aged man who following a teen and a young woman through the door, pushed his glasses up his nose. "More to the point if I spend another day in that room I'm liable to go stir crazy. Oh! Hello?"

Xander smiled warmly. "Hey guys! This is Richie, he gave me a hand getting back into town and took out two out of three of the welcoming committee too."

The young woman gave him a suspiciously appraising look. "You took out two vampires?"

Richie smiled in what he hoped was a disarming way. "I got lucky."

"And happened to be carrying a sword," Xander added. He turned to Richie, "I've been meaning to ask you about that by the way…"

The teen girl bounced over to the table. "Swords later, we come bearing breakfast!"

"Ooh breakfast," Xander enthused, heading towards what the girl was laying out on the table. "What've we got?"

The girl opened the box she had been carrying.

"Donuts?" Ritchie queried.

Xander swiped one. "The breakfast of champions." He said taking a bite.

The young woman looked apologetic. "I know it's not exactly nutritious, but you're welcome to join us."

The girl looked up, gesturing to the half eaten donut in her hand. "This one has purple in it. Purple is a fruit."

Richie smiled at the reference. "Thanks." He offered his hand. "Richie Ryan."

"Buffy Summers," she replied with a smile. "The pig over there is my sister Dawn."

"Pig!" Dawn squealed, her mouth full of donut.

"Oh hey man sorry!" Xander apologised, leaping up. "Should have done introductions. Guess you know Buffy and Dawn now, that's Anya and Giles," Richie reached out to take the older man's hand, "Buffy's watcher."

Suddenly Richie backed away, hands up. "Whoa! You didn't say anything about watchers dude."

Giles looked bemused, his hand still outstretched as if to take Richie's. "Is there a problem?"

Richie's glance flicked to his outstretched arm where his cuff pulled back from his wrist. He pointed. "You don't have a tattoo…"

Giles shared a confused glance with Buffy. "No, the Slayer side of the Watchers' Council don't have a tattoo, that's only for those who watch Immortals. But how would you know that…?" He asked wonderingly. "Of course…" He said, eyes widening as looked at Richie. "And Xander mentioned you had a sword…"

"Am I missing something here?" Xander asked, stepping warily forward. "Since when has there been more than one side to the Watchers' Council?"

"That's what I'd like to know." Buffy said, glaring at Giles, arms folded stubbornly across her chest.

Giles waved away their questions. "The two sides of the Watchers' Council barely communicate any more. Immortals so rarely get involved in the supernatural. But you…you really are aren't you?"

There was a pregnant paused before Richie suddenly caved, breaking the tension. "Aw man! Mac would take my head if he knew I screwed up!"


	5. Heart

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR, Buffy, Dawn

For prompt: 047 Heart

Summary: A little exploratory…

"Look out!"

A jarring sensation went down Richie's arms as he caught the blade that was jutted out of the demon's arm with his sword.

The thing had jumped them as they walked back from this small town's only club that would let Dawn in the doors. Buffy had been knocked aside and before she could get up again the thing had turned on Dawn. Ritchie had never seen anything like it – a great hulking creature that was covered in growths that almost looked like stone, a perfectly sharp blade jutting out from each arm over the hands to extend a least ten inches past the limits of its clenched fists. Ritchie really wasn't sure what to do with the thing now that he had its undivided attention and, while he had tried it out once or twice sparring with Mac, he didn't really have any experience fighting a guy with two weapons: all he could do was frantically parry and hope for a break.

"What the hell…" He heard Buffy groan as she woke up, distracting him long enough miss one in a long flurry of blows; long enough to take ten inches of blade directly through his chest. His sword fell from his hand as he stumbled backwards, clattering noisily only to the ground only to be swooped up by a fast-moving Buffy, swung round in an arc that cut off the demon's head in a move that Mac would have been proud of. As the demon's body fell to the ground Buffy turned in the same fluid movement, discarding his sword and crouching down beside him.

Xander and Dawn were already there, Xander pressing firmly on the hole in his chest. "Oh God, we've gotta get you to a hospital…"

Ritchie coughed, blood rising in the back of his throat. "Don't worry about it – ah shit! That hurts! Just give me…a minute…"

Ritchie's body went limp. Xander heard a sob from Dawn and absent-mindedly put an arm around her shoulder. Giles had told them all about Immortals - that they could only die by having their heads cut off - but Ritchie looked pretty dead to him. The minutes stretched longer and longer…

Ritchie's sudden indrawn breath made everybody jump. While he coughed and tried to sit up his new friends sat frozen around him.

"First time I've been killed like that. Better than a gunshot," Ritchie croaked half to himself, "but not by much." He winced.

"Shit," Xander said, rousing himself. "Do you need a hand?" Xander gave him one anyway, helping him slowly to his feet.

"You're ok." Buffy said wonderingly, a question hovering at the edge of her voice.

"Yep, advantage of Immortality – about the only advantage."

He yelped as he suddenly gained a Dawn wrapped around him. "I thought you were dead." She sniffed.

Xander gently pulled her away. "Hey Dawnie, careful…"

Ritchie grinned and patted her back comfortingly. "Nah it's ok, I'm pretty much healed already."

Slowly, Dawn pulled herself away and they started walking again, Ritchie collecting his bike from where he had let it drop when the demon approached and bemoaning the state of his shirt, while the others returned his conversation only feebly. Soon enough it was time for the boys and girls to part ways, the girls heading back to the Summers' home while the boys wandered on to Xander's apartment.

The silence stretched uncomfortably…

"So…" Xander began, "Immortal eh? Seems to be working for you…"

Ritchie chuckled. "Yeah it's not too shabby. It's hard to believe it's been less than two years since I found out about Immortals. I remember the first time I saw an Immortal come back: it was Mac's cousin Connor. He fell off a bridge with a knife in his chest…that was one of the weirdest days ever…"

"So you've not always been Immortal?"

Ritchie shook his head. "No way man, only a few months: I'm still trying to get used to it myself. Before this I was always like the little kid running to catch up while Mac ran around battling evil Immortals and protecting the innocent, you know?"

Xander crooked a smile, but seemed solemn. "Yeah I know. With the Slayer and the world's most powerful witch for friends you get used to being a sidekick."

"Hey side-kicking's tougher than it looks. I know what it's like – you get to be the one trying to hold things together while they're off crusading right? You get to feel useless and helpless while they're off 'doing the right thing' regardless of everyone else." Xander looked at him, surprised, but he just shrugged, trying to soften some of the vitriol. "Hey I've been there. I bet you have to be strong for Dawn too while her sister's out saving the world huh?"

"Yeah, but now you get to be one of the ones 'doing the right thing' right?"

Ritchie shook his head. "Not me, for now I just want to stay alive. The Game isn't too gentle on us newbies."

"Still, Immortality has gotta be pretty cool."

"Are you kidding? If I live to be a thousand I'm still gonna get carded every time I want to buy a drink!"

Xander laughed and Ritchie paused, kicking out the stand to get on the bike. "Come on, let's get out of here."


	6. Passing

Crossover: HL/BtVS (before "Prodigal Son" HL!verse, between series 6 and 7 Buffy!verse)

Characters: Xander, RR, Buffy, Dawn, Giles, Anya, oc

For prompt: 065 Passing

Summary: it's time Richie was just passing through.

A/N: as far as I know there has never been a King Christopher of anywhere – this was deliberate.

It was only when Richie felt the presence of another Immortal while he was in the Magic Box that he realised how devoid this town was of his kind. Living around Mac everyday had made him so used to the feeling, but now, after such a long time without it, the presence of another Immortal seemed appropriately intimidating.

"Richie? You ok?"

He put a hand up to stop Xander's question as the shop's bell dinged and the one he had been feeling stepped inside, meeting his eyes before turning to listen to Anya's bubbly sales pitch.

"Someone you know?" Buffy asked warily. It was Saturday afternoon and Richie and Xander had met Dawn and Buffy at the shop. They had just been deciding what they were going to do, Giles chipping in with dry British commentary periodically as he catalogued some of the more potent magical books, when Richie paused.

"No. No one I know."

Richie stood, approaching the newcomer as Anya hurried away to fulfil his request.

"Hey, Richie Ryan," he offered a hand, trying to look harmless.

The stranger, a tall, gaunt-looking man, looked down his nose at the proffered hand until it was withdrawn.

"Raymond Goldsmith the third."

Richie got the point: this guy wasn't out to make friends.

"You looking for me?"

"No, I am looking for a certain sword I was told was here."

"Cool."

"Is there a problem?" Buffy asked suddenly from near Richie's elbow, making him jump.

He did his best to smile, though in fact he couldn't wait till this man got what he came for and left.

"No problem!" He said brightly, turning to go back to the table and their plans for the day just as Anya came out of the back room holding a long, neatly wrapped package.

"Here you go! King Christopher's bastard broadsword. Pretty specialist item I can tell you. Wasn't easy to get, but I'm sure the payment will make it worthwhile!"

"Thank you." The Raymond said darkly, dropping his credit card on the counter, before swiftly drawing the sword.

Richie turned at the noise, freezing as he saw the intent look in the man's eyes.

"Now we have a problem," he mumbled, before diving for where he had been sitting, pulling out his rapier from his coat where it hung on the chair.

He just caught Raymond's first attack in time, the clang of metal on metal ringing loudly in such a small space.

"This isn't how we do things!" Richie protested, gesturing to the mortals in the room.

Raymond scoffed. "They will not survive to tell about it, but then they knew already about you didn't they. I could see it in your friends' sudden concern."

He attacked again, Richie catching the moves sloppily as he stumbled round over his chair. From the corner of his eye he could see Xander standing protectively in front of Dawn, moving her away, while Anya eagerly swiped the man's card.

The ring of another sword being drawn made him glance briefly behind to see Buffy coming out of the training room, sword in hand.

"You mustn't interfere!" He yelled as he took the opportunity to duck into the training room, Raymond leaping over the table to follow on his heels.

The sight of the training room, complete with weaponry and suspicious stains made Raymond pause enough for Richie to strike back, but not enough to get in a damaging cut.

Buffy was following them in now with Giles close behind. Richie didn't like the way she was still holding that sword, looking for an opening.

"Giles, keep her back." He warned. "You know the rules."

Giles nodded, though as Richie parried Raymond's next strikes he could see the British man wasn't happy about it. Well he didn't have to be happy, he just had to obey the rules.

"So they do know," Raymond said, pausing for a moment. "I wasn't sure. No matter, they will all be dead soon anyway."

Richie grit his teeth and moved in, but in his haste he took a deep cut to the side that made him cry out, dropping to the floor. He thought he had had it, stuck there on his hands and knees gasping in pain as Raymond moved in for the final strike, but just as it was almost too late his realised what he was seeing under his hands.

Standing, he pulled the mat out from under Raymond's feet as hard as he could, crying out in pain as he felt his wound tear and drip blood onto the floor. Raymond fell hard, but more importantly he fell with his head slamming into the concrete floor revealed underneath the mat, stunning him. Clutching his side, all Richie had to do was stumble a few steps and hack downwards and then it was done.

He collapsed onto his knees as he felt the energy rise and gasped to his friends to stay away as they crept warily closer.

The first hit of the Quickening was agony and bliss, but beyond that moment he could not remember. He did not think he blacked out, but the Quickening was just too intense to register in his mind. Raymond was old, he should never have won, wouldn't have if he hadn't fallen just at the edge of the mat where he could yank it out from under his opponent's feet.

Maybe this Quickening would mean the next one wasn't a fluke.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

He came back to his aching body as soon as the Quickening receded to see a cluster of awed faces crowded round the door. Giles was the first to come forward, helping Richie to his feet, and making him groan with the effort of moving so far as to sit on a closed trunk full of god knew what.

"I'll get something to clean you up," he offered, once Richie was settled and the others were coming forward. Dawn wore a sick expression as she stared at the headless corpse Giles turned her gently around. "Dawn, could you give me a hand."

"Just be glad he gave me the money first." Anya said, before turning away at the sound of the shop's bell.

"That was…whoa."

Richie coughed. "Yeah," he looked around, noticing the damage the Quickening had done. "Sorry about the scorch marks."

"That was, I mean…with the…and the lightning…and-"

As Xander babbled on Richie met Buffy's eyes. It was time he left. Her look told him that this was too much to bring to their already full doorstep.

"Oh and wow," Xander continued, moving over to the body, "it's…" he swallowed thickly, "It's not going to disappear, is it? We're gonna have to clean up dead guy parts…"

It was definitely time to go.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Joe? It's Rupert."

"Hey Ripper, how you been? Long time no see."

"Yes, long time. I don't go by Ripper anymore…"

"Sorry man didn't mean to dredge up the past. So what's up? Why you calling me after all this time?"

"Just business this time Joe. I haven't seen one of your Watchers around and I thought you'd like to know: Raymond Goldsmith just lost his head to Riche Ryan."

"No shit? I know the kid: I wouldn't have thought he had it in him."

"Seems he has a resourceful streak."

"Good to know. Thanks Rupert. Maybe next time you're down near Washington you'll drop in and see and old friend?"

"I'm actually going back to England…"

"Well if you ever feel like looking me up just give me a call."

"Thanks Joe. I'll do that."


End file.
